France still not confirmed IS links to Marseille attacker

PARIS – French authorities say they have not confirmed any links between the Tunisian man who stabbed two women to death at the Marseille train station and the Islamic State group or radical Islam.

A French legal official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the attacker had recently viewed videos of Islamic chants sometimes associated with IS. The official stressed, however, the videos made no reference to IS and authorities have no clear evidence the assailant was radicalized — despite an IS claim of responsibility for Sunday's stabbing.

The official said the attacker's motive remains unclear. He was shot dead after the attack.

Four men and one woman close to him remained in custody Wednesday and face potential terrorist charges, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation.

Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox